Alina Cojocaru

When you get sidelined by an injury, you try physical therapy, Pilates, swimming—anything that might get you back onstage ASAP. But when you return, something always seems a little different. Maybe that right knee doesn't feel as secure when you're jumping, or your left hip grips a little more during développé. It's hard not to wonder: Was there something else you should have been doing while you were out?

Former Royal Ballet principal Alina Cojocaru surprised the ballet world yesterday with the announcement that she's joining the English National Ballet. Many fans speculate that the move stems from her dissatisfaction at The Royal, which she abruptly left in June, along with on-and off-stage partner Johan Kobborg (who has not yet announced his future plans).

Where can you find Pointe covers adorning heavy machinery? The Gaynor Minden factory, of course. Apparently our December 2010/January 2011 cover featuring Alina Cojocaru in her signature Gaynors festoon the factory's walls and machines. This Eagle Tribune article about the building's new solar panels takes readers inside the space where the company produces around 100,000 pointe shoes a year. Alina would inspire me to make that many shoes, too.

Alina Cojocaru has no tendons—I am convinced of it! Legs aren't supposed to float up that high quite that easily. It's kind of absurd. Just like her supernatural sense of balance. Seriously, I'm pretty sure she could drink an entire cup of coffee while hanging out on pointe in arabesque.

We’ve all experienced it—a performance so striking that you leave the theater entranced, wishing it didn’t have to end. Each year, dancers all over the country wow us. It might be their dazzling technique, a surprising interpretation or their moving artistry. To wrap up the year, Pointe looked…more »